Diaphragm Valve Soda Dispenser

ABSTRACT

A diaphragm valve soda dispenser comprises a main body with a cavity, an inlet and an outlet; an elastic valve seal having a cup shape located in the cavity of the main body; a main cap with an opening groove and a center hole; a thumb screw with a protuberant ring and a screw hole, the protuberant ring is assembled rotatable in the opening groove; a piston rod with screw, which is assembled in the screw hole of the thumb screw and inserted into the elastic valve seal through the center hole of the main cap; turning the thumb screw moves the piston rod into the valve seal to push a bottom of the valve seal closing the inlet of the main body, vice versa moves the piston rod out the elastic valve seal drawing back to open the inlet of the main body.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

The present application claims the priority of U.S. provisional application No. 61/990,721 filed on May 9, 2014, which application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to a device for preserving carbonation of carbonated beverage during consumption. According to the present invention, when a user dispenses the carbonated beverage in a bottle or other similar container, the gaseous carbon dioxide content in the carbonated beverage can be preserved from leakage or escaping to the surrounding atmosphere.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various kinds of carbonated beverage, such as “COCA COLA”, “PEPSI”, and “7-UP”, are the most common and popular beverages nowadays. The compressed carbon dioxide in carbonated beverage provides a familiar feeling to thirsty consumers. Carbonated beverage is generally on sale in container such as an airtight can or bottle package for the preservation of compressed carbon dioxide.

In fact, there has long been the market need to preserve carbonation during the consumption of a large bottle of carbonated beverage such as soda beverage ever since its appearance on the market in the 1970's. As a matter of fact, there have been 5 U.S. patents issued after 1979 to inventions aiming to or advertised to preserve carbonation during the dispensing of bottled carbonated beverages. They are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,723,670, 4,860,932, 4,932,544, 5,635,232, 5,025,953 and 5,909,824.

However, these patents have not solved the problems relating to leakage of carbon dioxide and valve being ejected by high carbonated beverages pressure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Using the combination of thumb screw pair and elastic valve seal to solve the problems of sealing and preventing ejection of valve by high air pressure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 showing the big bottle, the valve, and the smaller bottle on the left.

FIG. 2 showing the big bottle cap removed, valve fastened at the inlet which has a rubber washer.

FIG. 3 showing the small bottle fastened onto the outlet which has a rubber washer, so does the inlet.

FIG. 4 showing the valve opened, soda ready to be poured into the small bottle.

FIG. 5 showing some soda has been poured. Top portion of the black piston rod is visible.

FIG. 6 showing dispensation completed, small bottle almost full, the valve is closed.

FIG. 7 showing the small battle unfastened; soda inside ready to drink

FIG. 8 showing the main (valve) body, silicon valve seal, (threaded) piston rod, main cap, thumb screw (from left to right)

FIG. 9 showing similar to FIG. 8, with the main cap turned a little for the thumb screw to slide into the groove

FIG. 10 showing similar to FIG. 9 with thumb screw installed in place with the main cap.

FIG. 11 showing similar to FIG. 10, with threaded piston rod installed inside the silicon valve seal

FIG. 12 showing similar to FIG. 11, the valve is almost assembled with the threaded piston rod screwed into the thumb screw

FIG. 13 showing the valve fully assembled with main cap screwed onto the mail valve body

FIG. 14 showing the thumb screw sliding half way into the groove on top of the main cap.

FIG. 15 showing the thumb screw fully slid into the groove on top of the main cap.

FIG. 16 showing the 2 blue rings are the 2 rubber washers which are omitted in pictures P08 through P13.

FIG. 17 showing the assembled valve.

FIG. 18 showing the disassembled view of the valve.

FIG. 19 showing the perspective view of the valve.

FIG. 20 is a front view of the valve.

FIG. 21 is a left plane view of the valve.

FIG. 22 is a cross section view of the valve.

FIG. 23 is a right plane view of the valve.

FIG. 24 is a cross section view along a-a direction of the valve.

FIG. 25 is a left plane view of the main body of valve.

FIG. 26 is a front cross section view of the main body of valve.

FIG. 27 is a right side view of the main body of valve.

FIG. 28 is a cross section view along F-F direction of the main cop of valve.

FIG. 29 is a top view of the main cop of valve.

FIG. 30 is a top view of the thumb screw of valve.

FIG. 31 is a cross section view along G-G direction of the thumb screw of valve.

FIG. 32 is a top view of the piston rod of valve.

FIG. 33 is a cross section view of the piston rod of valve.

FIG. 34 is a top view of the valve seal.

FIG. 35 is a cross section view of the valve seal.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The diaphragm valve soda dispenser comprises the main body, main cap, thumb screw, piston rod and elastic valve seal. The piston rod, main cap and the thumb screw work together to make the silicon valve seal move up and down without making twisting/rotational turns since the piston rod is, in this way, not making turns due to its shaft being partially flattened (and partially threaded) while going up and down. The purpose of this design, shape and mechanism is to minimize the friction and wear/tear on the silicon valve seal and the difficulty to push the piston rod down and lock it if not designed this way due to the high pressure inside the said (main) valve body during the dispensation.

This device also does a good job, it is relatively simple; it utilizes a threaded, D-shaped piston rod to control the elevating (opening the valve) and descending (closing the valve) of the silicon valve seal by turning the thumb screw in either direction (against the pressure from within the main valve body).

In the pictures/drawings; there are (1) thumb screw, (2) main cap, (3) threaded, D-shaped piston rod, (4) silicon valve sealing, and (5) body of the valve; the inlet of the valve body is on the left, and the outlet of the valve is at the bottom. Inside both inlet and outlet, there are two rubber washers. When the whole device is assembled, it is air/water tight. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A diaphragm valve soda dispenser comprising: a main body with a cavity, an inlet and an outlet; an elastic valve seal having a cup shape located in the cavity of the main body; a main cap with an opening groove and a center hole, which presses a flange of the elastic valve seal on an edge of the cavity of the main body for preventing leaking of carbon dioxide; a thumb screw with a protuberant ring and a screw hole, the protuberant ring is assembled rotatable in the opening groove; a piston rod with screw, which is assembled in the screw hole of the thumb screw and inserted into the elastic valve seal through the center hole of the main cap; turning the thumb screw moves the piston rod into the valve seal to push a bottom of the valve seal closing the inlet of the main body, vice versa moves the piston rod out the valve seal drawing back to open the inlet of the main body.
 2. The diaphragm valve soda dispenser of claim 1, wherein the piston rod has a flange at a rod bottom, the elastic valve seal has a ring groove at a valve seal bottom, the flange of piston is inserted in the ring groove of main cap.
 3. The diaphragm valve soda dispenser of claim 1, wherein the center hole of main cap has two parallel opposite edges, the piston rod has two parallel opposite edges, thereby the piston rod is moved into or out the elastic valve seal without rotating.
 4. The diaphragm valve soda dispenser of claim 1, wherein the elastic valve seal is made of silicone rubber.
 5. The diaphragm valve soda dispenser of claim 1, wherein the inlet of main body is connected with a large bottle of carbonated beverage and the outlet of main body is connected with a small bottle of carbonated beverage, or vice versa.
 6. The diaphragm valve soda dispenser of claim 1, wherein the inlet and outlet of main body have seal rings respectively. 